


Broken horns and shattered dreams

by ocean_boi_percy



Series: Growing up wasn't easy, but at least I have you. [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF, mcyt
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Bee Toby Smith | Tubbo, Child Abandonment, DadSchlatt, Kid Tubbo, SiB, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Techno is Tommy's dad in this, Technodad Pog, Tubbo in a box, Tubbox, lol whats sleep?, quackity is a cool guy, schlatt has issues, schlatt looses his memory, schlatt with damaged horns, sleepy bois inc - Freeform, this fic is gonna kinda suck, tubbo with horns, why are my tags always so chaotic?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28542945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ocean_boi_percy/pseuds/ocean_boi_percy
Summary: Schlatt has never been qualified as a parent - kicked out at 18 for having a little boy, unable to afford food every day, let alone a house for himself and his little boy. He struggles to be a parent in general, only continuing to try on a promise made to his dead girlfriend. When he gets a little too drunk one night, Schlatt decides to do what he think is best for his little Toby - put him in a box in the middle of a the woods in a highly populated area. Hopefully someone would find and take better care of him then Schlatt ever could.But what happened when that alcohol causes Schlatt to hit his head just a little too hard?------Or, Schlatt struggles through parent hood, gets drunk, leaves Tubbo, and ends up with amnesia.This fic has triggering mentions of abuse (both alcohol and physical) - please proceed with caution. I don't want anyone accidentally triggered, but other then that, enjoy!
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, No Romantic Relationship(s), Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Growing up wasn't easy, but at least I have you. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2124441
Comments: 10
Kudos: 187





	1. Freezing rain

**Author's Note:**

> This work was actually inspired by the fanfic His Eyes by NoonwardMoss on AO3. Thank you for writing this fic - despite the shortness of it - as it was a massive inspiration. 
> 
> Yay for procrastinating other stories to write this! I have dove head first into the Dream SMP fandom recently, and this story idea wouldn't leave my mind, so we'll see where it goes. It may or may not be an excuse for me to procrastinate writing some of my other stories. Oops?
> 
> This is my first ever attempt at writing fanfic for this specific fandom - I apologize if it sucks or the personalities are a little off. I'm still getting used to writing them. 
> 
> I stayed up on a school night to write this, lmao, but busted this first chapter out in less then an hour. Go me!
> 
> Anyway, this has mentions of minor abuse (physical and alcohol) and recovering from amnesia - please be aware and enjoy!

How could things have gone so wrong so quickly? That was the question that the ram hybrid asked himself as he carried a little bundle in his arms, holding it close to his chest to protect from the wind and rain. The air held a chill that froze his ears and nose, the loud cracks of lightening being only broken by the sounds of a baby crying loudly. Schlatt couldn't even protect them from this wind and rain - fuck, how the hell was he suppose to do this on his own?

Schlatt wasn't the brightest ram on earth. He had been an idiot teenager - one with the idea to sleep with some deer hybrid at his school that he liked. Who would've thought it would ended up like this? Honestly though - he should've seen it coming. At 17 years old, Schlatt had been told that the deer girl was pregnant - and honestly, he couldn't have been more terrified and excited all at once. They had started dating soon after, just enjoying each others company. The two had been friends before hand - before all of this shit happened - they were ready to compensate for their mistakes and raise this baby together. They had both been so excited for their baby Toby to be born. Schlatt had known his parents didn't approve - he knew that it wasn't going to be easy to graduate, but he was so determined to do so. He had been so _excited_ about this. Hell, even his friend Wilbur was excited for him!

Toby was born 3 days after Schlatt turned 18, almost a month early.

Schlatt's girlfriend died 3 hours after Toby was born, years too soon. 

Schlatt had never experienced so much emotion all at once. The mix of joy for his new baby boy and grief at the loss of his girlfriend - the fact she died right in front of him during child birth. The relief he felt when he held Toby, knowing he was an early baby and there had been a lot of birth complications. He had almost died right along with his mom. The tears didn't stop flowing that night in the hospital as Toby was taken into the ICU to make sure he would be ok and the deer girl was taken away in a body bag more less. She might as well have been. Schlatt didn't stop crying. He didn't know if he should be relieved that his baby was ok, terrified of how his parents would take this, or grieving the loss of someone he deeply cared about - so he did it all at once. 

Leaving the hospital with Toby that next day, Schlatt knew his life wouldn't be the same. He was going to struggle like hell to take care of this little one, but he was determined to do so. He had made a promise to Toby's mom after all - he needed the little boy to grow up ok. He needed Toby - Tubbo - his Tubbo - to know that everything would work out. Even if Schlatt had to fight day in and day out for it, he would make sure that they had what they needed. 

Oh what a fever dream that had been.

The moment Schlatt's parents found out, it turned into a screaming fest. They didn't want a baby in their house if all it would do was scream. Schlatt didn't want them to upset his baby boy. They didn't want Schlatt to mooch off of them, even if it meant kicking him out. 

By night fall, Schlatt was on his own with just a little bundle in his arms and the clothes on his back. 

Hence why he was in this current situation. 

It had started raining hours after Schlatt had been kicked out, the sounds of baby Toby screaming being the only thing louder then the crack of lightening around them. Hell, Schlatt couldn't even hear the mobs around them to know where to avoid - and even if he could, there wasn't anything the male could do to protect them! Schlatt couldn't even find them proper cover from the storm. His phone was dead, he was freezing, the rain had started to turn to sleet the further he went - destination unknown. Fuck, Schlatt just didn't know what to do at this point. His head was pounding from having been hit by his father before leaving hard enough that Schlatt was sure the tip of his horn was chipped. His hands shook, hardly able to keep a grip on his squirming baby. God, what could he do! He was alone in the world - alone in a storm - and at this rate, they wouldn't even survive the first night together. Tubbo was just a new born baby for crying out loud, and he hadn't even eaten since they left the hospital!

Schlatt had a feeling deep in his soul that he wouldn't be able to do this. 

He ignored it. 

Instead, the male paused, squinting through the freezing rain to try and figure out where they were. The wind whipped his hair around so much, Schlatt wouldn't be surprised if it tangled on his horns like crazy. He needed a haircut, but that wasn't exactly something to be concerned about at the moment. 

It took a moment of searching, but soon enough, Schlatt recognized a house and had a realization. It was a simple name that came to mind out of the blue.

Quackity!

That idiot duck hybrid could be his saving grace in this situation, especially considering how close Schlatt was to his house. Fuck, the ram didn't even realize it before that moment. So, that's where he started to head, shoulders set against the wind in determination to get somewhere safe. Schlatt was already drenched and knew that Tubbo's blankets he was swaddled in must be as well. It probably was what caused the little guy to start screaming in the first place. But it would be ok. 

Luck was on his side that night, as the rain let up just enough for Schlatt to see where he was going. It took far too long to get to Quackity's house though, the male letting out a deep breath of relief when he saw the familiar lantern on the ducks porch, swinging in the wind like the chain would snap at any moment. 

The ram practically ran up the steps. He knew it was late. He knew that this idiot was a deep sleeper and would normally ignore anyone else - but there were lights on in the kitchen he could just see through the front window past the curtains. Schlatt was hoping - praying to a god he didn't believe in - that his friend was home. 

Without another thought running through his mind, and a screaming baby in his arms, Schlatt began to pound on the door, trying to get the duck hybrid's attention. 


	2. Quackity hates thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, 2 chapters in 1 night? Who knew it was possible for me? Not me! 
> 
> Anyway, Quackity has a massive fear of thunder and Schlatt doesn't know how to take care of a baby, let alone a new born.

Of all the things Quackity had been expecting that night, Schlatt wasn't one of them. 

He had been expecting the power to go out, maybe for his pet cat to freak out. He was expecting to hear the groans of zombies in his fruitless attempt to sleep. Hell, he had been expecting to just pass out at the counter of his kitchen in the middle of the fucking night because he hit his head too hard from jumping where he sat under the table, cowering every time there was a crack of thunder. 

Schlatt being at his door at 2am with a screaming baby in the middle of this storm though? That had been unexpected to say the _very_ least. 

At first, Quackity had ignored the pounding. He didn't want to leave his safe space under the kitchen table with a weighted blanket around him and lantern within reach, just in case. He didn't want to get up from the comfort of his little cocoon, just trying to hide from the thunder best he could. Everything felt scary to him at the moment - all the loud booms that shook his little house scaring the hell out of him. His cat - Pickle - was trying to comfort the duck hybrid in his distressed time when the knocking had began. At first, it was easy to ignore - and then it got more and more and more frantic, and louder, until it was the only thing Quackity could focus on. 

"Oh for FUCKS SAKE!!!" He finally caved in with that shout, crawling out from under the table with his blanket held tightly around his shoulders, a soft yelp escaping when another loud boom cracked across the sky. God, Quackity hated storms. 

Irritation seeped into the teenagers bones as he went to answer the door, sniffing softly and rubbing his red eyes. So what they were red? The poor guy had been panicking! He really hated thunder - it was one of his biggest fear needless to say. 

Setting that thought aside for now though, Quackity went to the door and pulled it open, almost getting hit in the face in the process. He had been about to snap about that when he saw the state of his friend. 

Schlatt looked like total shit. His hair was a rats nest, tangled in ways Quackity didn't know was possible and hooked on his horns in a way that would _definitely_ need cut to get off. His clothes were filthy and drenched, his hands were shaking and looked ice cold. Fuck, his face was flushed like crazy and his fingertips were _blue_! The duck man could see a bundle in his arms, just as soaked as his ram hybrid friend, and his head was bowed. Whether it was in shame or exhaustion, Quackity wasn't sure. He had never seen the other like this before though. Fuck, how long had Schlatt been in the rain???

And then Quackity heard the scream of a small child. 

He was on high alert immediately, flinching when thunder sounded through the air, but able to squash his fear down like mad when he realized there was a child involved in this situation. He had heard his friend had a baby, but he had thought that Schlatt and his girlfriend got a place? She was supposed to pay for it for then until Schlatt could get a job - the ram had been so excited. What changed? 

"You look like shit." Quackity cringed at himself the second he said it, his words coming out a lot tenser and harsher then intended. What he hadn't been expecting was for _Schlatt_ to cringe at the tone of voice. 

"Rub it in, why don't 'cha." Schlatt growled back, finally lifting his head from where it had been bowed and shooting a harsh glare at his friend. There... was no real heat behind it though. "Are you gonna stand there and gwack or let me in?"

"Fuck - ya, sorry," Quackity yelped, moving out of the way quickly and letting his friend inside. The door was closed behind him, Quackity locking it when he heard the familiar groan of a zombie near by. This sucked. This whole situation sucked - probably way worse for Schlatt then Quackity though. "Dios mio, how long were you in the rain??"

"Fuck if I know, but I need towels. And food - milk. What the hell do you feed a baby???" He had never sounded so desperate before - so fucking scared. Hell, Schlatt even looked scared as he took the soaked blankets off the baby and tossed them to the ground, trying to bounce and hush the little one, rubbing him to warm him up some. He glanced to the side when Pickle meowed quietly, but ignored the cats want for attention in favor of trying to take care of his child. 

Quackity would admit - he was in a state of shock. The storm continued to rage outside his doors, the sounds of the wind howling and trees groaning being more then enough proof of that, but that wasn't even what had him frozen for once. No, the sight of a slightly panicking Schlatt and screaming baby - was that a new born???? - was what had him in shock. The loud crack of thunder is what snapped the duck hybrid out of it, a loud, fear filled yell escaping at the sound. Schlatt had a look of confusion for a moment at that before the memory struck him. 

Quackity was _severally_ scared of thunder. He had told Schlatt back when he was a sophomore and Quackity a freshman. It had always been a major fear for the ducky.

"Oh fuck - I'm sorry man, I forgot-"

"No no, shut up, you never apologize, what the fuck." Quackity's shaking voice cut Schlatt off, the male gawking at his friend as he - with very shaky hands - put down his weighted blanket, ruffled Pickle's fur, and went to grab towels. 

The silence that settled between them was a little unnerving, but not uncomfortable. Well - Tubbo's screaming didn't make it completely silent, but the two men didn't really speak between them. Quackity just gave Schlatt towels and made him wait by the door, coming back with a spare set of clothes for the ram to change into and ushering them into the living room.

"Give me the child." His voice might've been shaking, but Schlatt knew better then to disobey. He passed Tubbo off gently, watching his friend make sure he wouldn't drop the little one, even with his jumpiness, and go into the kitchen. Schlatt took that chance to change into dry clothes, running a hand through his messy hair once done and getting up to follow his friend. 

"What 're you-"

"Making a bottle."

"Where-"

"My mom keeps spare shit on hand. Just in case. They're out of town before you ask."

"Ah..." Schlatt trailed off again, sitting at one of the kitchen chairs while Quackity made up a bottle. He then gave it to Tubbo, making sure the little one started to eat before passing him back off to his ram friend. Then, he went and grabbed his weighted blanket again, flinching at another crack of thunder while he made he way to the table, crawling under it quietly. Schlatt watched him in silence, glancing at the bundle in his arms to make sure Tubbo ate alright. He had been changed into a fresh diaper and bee outfit for the time being. A comfortable silence fell over the two friends. 

Another loud crack of thunder filled the air. 

Another shout escaped Quackity.

The power flickered and turned off. 

The soft glow of a lantern filled the room as Schlatt grabbed spare blankets to make a makeshift bed for himself and Tubbo on the kitchen floor - right next to Quackity. 

Schlatt silently hugged his friend after Tubbo was asleep. 

Another loud crack. 

A comforting friend. 


	3. Being a single parent sucks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck, the amount of you that popped up overnight is a little unnerving. I'm really glad you're enjoying the story and if you're new to my chaos, welcome!! I don't have an update schedule, 0 actual plot in mind and I'm just doing this for the pure joy of doing it! Anyways though, enjoy this chapter of the book! 
> 
> Just a heads up - this chapter has lots of angst. Next chapter will be a time skip and when things really start to pick up!

When Schlatt woke up again, it wasn't really morning. The darkness weighed down the entire house, almost pulling the ram back into his restless sleep, wondering why he had woken up to begin with. Then he heard the familiar restlessness of Tubbo beside him. It took a moment for Schlatt to regain consciousness and awareness of where he was in that moment, a small shiver going down his back. 

He was laying on the floor, his duck hybrid friend curled up against his chest and breathing deeply while they laid there, under the table in the middle of the kitchen. Schlatt had never been a touchy person really, but Quackity had needed the comfort. It had been a long night for both of them, between the thunder scaring poor Tubbo awake and not letting Quackity rest like he should've been. The storm had been raging hours after Schlatt had arrived and - looking at the kitchen clock with his fuzzy vision - had only ended about an hour before. Quackity had finally gotten some sleep when the storm let up, and Schlatt had just been dozing some when he heard Tubbo starting to fuss. 

Speaking of which - the ram shifted carefully, trying not to wake his sleeping friend so he could check on his baby. Tubbo was bundled up in the blankets beside him, clutching a little bee plushy Quackity had given him the night before, even as he squirmed around and started to whine a little louder. He looked so small in that moment, and for some reason, it struck something inside Schlatt. It took a moment for the older man to escape his friends grasp, instead picking up Tubbo gently and holding him to his chest. 

Schlatt rocked back and forth, back to Quackity, as he held Tubbo in his arms. He could only focus on the sounds of quiet ticking coming from the clock above the stove. Schlatt's tail hit the ground a few times as he rocked, showing just how stressed he was. His floppy ears dangled over Tubbo as the little one settled just a bit, reaching up to grab (or try anyway) at Schlatt's long, curly horns. They curled around Schlatt's ear's, the tips sharp as can be - enough to cut someone on accident. He knew it wasn't exactly healthy to file them down or anything, but knew he was going to need to do so here soon so Tubbo didn't get hurt. 

The little boys coos is what drew Schlatt out of his thoughts, looking down at his son with a soft smile. He knew he was the only one left for this child - the only one able to take care of him. All they had was each other. 

"It's just us against the world, little guy..." 

Maybe if Schlatt had been paying more attention, he would've noticed that Quackity had woken up. Maybe he would've noticed the others concerned look as he watched Schlatt whisper sweet nothings to Tubbo as he rocked him back to sleep. Maybe he would've noticed the shock on his friends face when he noticed that one stray tear fall from Schlatt's cheek. But he wasn't paying attention - and that was ok. 

Quackity didn't make a sound. 

* * *

Daylight streamed into the kitchen way too soon for Schlatt's liking, making him groan as he shifted from where he had been leaning against the table's leg. As soon as he moved, a sharp pain went down his back, making the ram groan again, louder this time, as he got up. It was irritating. He fucking hated sleeping on the floor - but beggars couldn't be choosers, right? 

"Finally awake?" Quackity's voice snapped Schlatt back into reality, his eyes looking to where Tubbo had been before around desperately, finally hearing a super quiet babble where the duck hybrid stood. There, in his arms, was 3 day old Tubbo, cooing and looking at Quackity from where he was being held.   


"...I really need some alcohol." Schlatt grumbled as he got up, stretching with his back making a loud, and satisfying, pop. 

"No way, it's too early for that shit." Quackity huffed back. "But you do have some explaining to do. So, I'm going to help you take care of the baby-"  


"Toby"

"Of Toby until he goes down for a nap. Then, we gotta talk, ok? I though you and that deer girl had everything figured out - did you two fight or something?" Quackity glanced at Schlatt, the ram avoiding his gaze, an absent look in his eyes for a moment. It took a second for the other to come back from it again, causing Quackity's small wings to flutter a bit in concern. He didn't comment again for now though. 

The day went on as normal as it could've - It was the weekend so Schlatt helped Quackity clean up the house, taking breaks in between to take care of Tubbo, and manage to down a beer before noon. Tubbo went down for a nap at about 1pm - much to Schlatt's relief, which resulted in this current moment.

The tension in the room couldn't be ignored. 

Schlatt was sat on the couch, his knees to his chest as he down a bottle of straight vodka wrapped up in a paper bag, as if to hide if from his child who couldn't even hold his head up on his own yet. Quackity was sat on the other side, staring down at the papers in his hand. It was Tubbo's birth certificate, a letter from Schlatt's parents, and a Schlatt's girlfriends death certificate. The duck was in a state of shock once again - just staring at everything he held. The silence was tense and unnerving. 

"Jesus. Fuck." Quackity finally whispered after a moment, glancing at where his friend was starting to put on more then a buzz. "Schlatt, put the alcohol down for gods sake!"  


"Why?" He muttered back, holding his knees tighter. "Not like it'll change anythin."

"You're barely 18, thats why! It's not legal for one, and for 2, you have a child, man!"

"A kid who doesn't even know whats happening yet. He's 3 days old, Ducky, and I deserve at least a little bit of liquid courage."

Quackity sighed at that, finally settin down the papers to turn and face his friend, snatching the alcohol away from Schlatt when he went to take another drink. He looked like he was about to argue - but stopped seeing the look on Quackity's face. 

"Look." He said slowly after a moment. "I can't do very much to help. My parents have their hands full as is, and we don't exactly have the space to put you up right now-"

"I'm not looking for a trust fund anyway."

" _HOWEVER,_ I can message Sam and see if he can help you out for now." Quackity finished finally, crossing his arms just a bit. "He and Purpled have gotten on fine - granted Sam has the money. They have a decent sized house and can probably help you out until you can afford a place."

"Please, he named his kid _Purpled,_ I highly doubt hes able to take care of an actual child." Schlatt huffed back. But the offer, he knew, was almost too good to pass up. Almost. 

A soft ding came from Schlatt's phone from where it sat on Quackity's charger to the side - a message from the one and only Wilbur Soot. It was... a little unexpected actually, but Schlatt grabbed his phone to read it anyway. Then, only moment's later, his phone started to ring. 

It took Schlatt almost hanging up and Quackity smacking him upside the head for him to answer.

"What."

"JSchlatt! Buddy, good to hear from you! You went off the map yesterday, I was worried you got caught in the storm with Fiona or somethin!"

Hearing the name of his dead girlfriend almost made Schlatt hang up right then and there. He knew it wasn't healthy - but he wanted to forget. He didn't want Fiona to exist - He didn't want to hear that name ever again. Instead, Quackity took the phone and put it on speaker, letting Schlatt hear as he spoke. 

"Listen, Will, this isn't a great time-"  


"Oh, hey Quackity! I was actually about to text you after I talked to Schlatt!" Wilbur interrupted with a small hum. "I'm comin home from college in a few days to visit and was wondering if I could stop by to visit."

"Will-"

"Techno is actually going to be coming home too! We're all gonna go visit dad here soon!"

"Wilbur-"

"I'm so excited to see everyone, I can't wait to see Schlatt's little guy. I heard he was born a few days ago! Toby, right?"

"Wilbur, shut up and listen to me!" Quackity finally snapped, getting the other to stop talking for just a moment. "Ok thank you. Look, Will, some shit came up, ok? Yes you can visit, I'm excited to see you too. Schlatt is currently crying drunk on my couch right now though because he has a 3 day old baby, his parents kicked him out, and his girlfriend is dead."

"Oh..."

"Ya. It's a lot to take in. Do me a favor, call me later when we get things a little more figured out, ok? I'll talk to you later, Will" 

"Ya.. Sorry for that, Quackity."

"It's fine."

The call ended, a soft sigh escaping Quackity as he looked over at Schlatt with a worried expression. 

Schlatt was sitting on the couch with his hands tangled in his already tangled hair, ears drooped lower then Quackity even thought possible. He was crying, eyes squeezed closed, and rocking where he sat slightly to try and calm down some. 

"Schlatt-"  


"Can I do this?" He asked so so quietly, voice shaking as he finally raised his gaze to meet the others. "Can I raise him alone? Quackity, I can't hardly take care of myself, let alone a kid. What am I supposed to do - fuck what do I do..."

"Oh man..." Quackity shifted and hesitated, gently putting an arm around his friend after a moment and pulling him into a gentle hug. "We'll get through this, alright? I'll help you out... I promise, man. We're both still kids. We're gonna fuck up sometimes - it'll be fine though..." The shaking of his friends shoulders as he sobbed silently made Quackity let out a deep deep breath, pulling Schlatt close and stroking his horns gently to help calm him down. 

"We'll be ok."


	4. Bee plushies are stupidly expensive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have consistently updated every day thus far and I'm not sure what to do with this information??? I never do this??? Oh well, I hope your enjoying the story so far!  
> I know I said things would pick up in this chapter but I had to set it up a little more since I didn't do it very well last chapter - sorry! More action is to come soon though, I swear. 
> 
> I finished this chapter at like 2 am lmao.
> 
> Schlatt can't afford a bee toy, Phil and him talk.

It had been around 3 years since that night at Quackity's house. 3 years since his son - the light of Schlatt's life - had been born. 3 years since Schlatt started to seriously struggle to keep going, despite the promise that he had made to his ex girlfriend. 

His now toddler Tubbo and him lived in a small studio apartment in the middle of a really bad area - somewhere you could easily be shot and killed if you weren't careful enough. Schlatt knew it was a shitty place to live - It wasn't fit to raise a child, let alone anyone else - but it was all he could afford. In the last 3 years, Schlatt had barely graduated high school. He had gotten help from Quackity, Sam, and Wilbur constantly to raise Tubbo, and his little bee knew that the other 3 men were more less his uncles. They had been such a massive help when it came to food and clothing for his kid - and motivation for Schlatt to keep fighting, even though he had a shitty job at a broken down convenience store.

In the last 3 years though, Schlatt would never know how he managed to raise such a little ball of sunshine. Every day Tubbo grew bigger and the smile on his face didn't fade. His hair was a little long and a curly mess on his head - and the 3 year old didn't seem to have a care in the world. He didn't know that juice wasn't supposed to be a special treat he got once a week - he didn't know that going hungry some nights wasn't normal, or on nights his dad got home and fell down, not waking up when Tubbo cried he was hungry, wasn't ok. He didn't know. 

He was just a sweet little kid, oblivious to the outside world - and their situation. 

Schlatt on the other hand was well aware of how fucked it was. The fact he couldn't even afford to get Tubbo a Christmas present most times, let alone put him in any kind of schooling. He couldn't fucking afford it. He knew that letting his child cuss like a sailor wasn't ok - Sam had yelled at him more then once for it - but at least Tubbo was learning how to speak at all. His sentences were broken - halfway in Spanish thanks to Quackity - and never quite right. He was 3 and couldn't count or say his ABCs at all. He babbled more then he spoke really - and Schlatt knew it wasn't right. 

Their life was broken - but every night, Schlatt would tell Tubbo the same thing. 

"It's just us against the world, Toby. All we have is each other. We don't need no one else."

And Tubbo would always smile and grab onto Schlatt's horns, holding them until he fell asleep. Then, Schlatt would go into the living room and drink until he passed out. 

Ya, Schlatt knew it wasn't right - but what ended up being the final trigger for him was something as stupid as a bee. A little bee plushy that sat on a stores window sill. 

* * *

Schlatt had been walking with Tubbo through the market, the two walking hand in hand while Schlatt attempted to get any food they could afford - and to be honest, it wasn't much. Tubbo was wearing a yellow and brown stripped shirt with a pair of overalls over them, a little bee hand sowed into the pocket on the front. He was bouncy but a quiet kid despite that, just holding onto his dads hand tightly as they went so he didn't get lost. He was looking around, thumb in his mouth, and gasped when he saw that bee. 

Now, Tubbo was a smart kid. He might've been 3, but he knew when his birthday was. He knew when super important things would come up, and he sure as hell knew what a bee was. Bee's were by far Tubbo's favorite thing in the world. The first time his Uncle Wilby had taken him out to the fields by his house, Tubbo had gotten to see them. The kid had been obsessed ever since. 

It wasn't a surprise, needless to say, when Schlatt got distracted from his phone where he was trying to calculate money costs and instead looked at his son. 

"What's up, little guy?" He asked with furrowed brows when Tubbo started to tug insistently at Schlatt's hand. 

"Bee!!" Tubbo was bouncing up and down in his excitement, his eyes wide as he pointed with his free hand. "Bee!!" Schlatt looked over to where he was pointing and saw that plushy, chuckling softly. 

"Ok ok, lets go see the bee." God the squeal that escaped Tubbo's lips was more then adorable. 

Here was the thing - as soon as Schlatt could see the numbers on the bee, he knew it was _way_ out of their budget range, however, he also knew that Tubbo had picked up one of Purpled's - Sam's son - shitty habits. If he didn't get his way, he didn't eat. 

Purpled was a spoiled little shit in Schlatt's opinion though. 

"Bee!!!" Tubbo squealed, his tiny hands pressing against the glass of the shop as he looked at it, looking back at his dad to make sure he was still there. Schlatt rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh, knowing that, in the end, there wasn't going to be getting out of this. Who the fucked charged 32 emeralds for a fucking bee stuffy though?????? A soft sigh escaped the ram as he kneeled next to his son to try and find a way to explain it. 

"Tubbo - Toby, listen to me." He said carefully, taking his sons gaze away from the toy. "Thats wayyy too much money for us right now, ok? Before you start screaming though, I'll make you a deal." He waited until the little dude nodded and then smiled small. "Good boy. Now listen - you know how you get presents on your birthday? If you're super super good until then, maybe I'll get you the bee. Sound good?"

"Bee for birthday?" Tubbo's head tilted as he asked, trying to make sure that was right and nodding when Schlatt nodded. "Bee for birthday!!" He squealed in excitement, jumping to hug his dad. 

Schlatt ended up picking his little guy up with a sigh, glancing back at the toy before continuing his shopping, just to get it over with. 

When they got back to their apartment, Schlatt let Tubbo run off to play where he normally did and ran a hand through his hair, putting things away before leaning on the counter and looking at his phone. He needed to figure something out. Desperately. So, after pouring himself a small glass of whiskey, he hit call on a familiar number. 

"Hullo, Schlatt!" The voice that came through the reciever was all too familiar for Schlatt's liking, the ram running a hand over his face at the happiness in the others tone. 

"Hullo, Philza." He muttered with a sigh. "Listen, I need a small favor from you and Will-"

"Of course! What's goin on?" Phil asked with a hum. Schlatt could hear some commotion on the other side - specifically the sounds of a sword clashing with another. He knew Wilbur had graduated from college a few months before and moved back in with Phil and his new brother Tommy - but who else was there?

"Uh... fuck I hate doing this..." Schlatt muttered, taking a drink of his alcohol and sighing softly, tuning out the background noise on Phil's side. "I need some money. Toby's birthday is coming up and - fuck Phil, I have nothin. The last of our money I had to use today on food. I'm not even gona be able to afford the apartment much longer." 

"Yeesh, ya thats not cool." The ram could practically see Phil rubbing his stubble in thought. "Of course I can help you with money though. Do you need anything now?" 

"Ya actually.. I need more food. I only was able to get enough for tonight and tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll send one of my boys over with some for you." Phil didn't even hesitate to offer his own resources to help his sons friend. Schlatt might as well have been a son of his as well at this point. 

"Thanks, Phil" Schlatt sighed softly. The call ended soon after. Phil never had been one for small talk. 

Schlatt stood there, alone in the kitchen after that with alcohol in his hand. He ended up downing more alcohol then intended - got a little too drunk - and a little upset. He couldn't do anything right, could he? His Toby was sitting on the floor beside their bed playing because Schlatt couldn't do more then afford a shit mattress for them and some crayons. He knew this whole situation was screwy. He knew this wasn't ok. 

Schlatt felt like giving up. 

The alcohol in his veins made his head fuzzy, as it normally did, and the male sighed quietly, glancing at his boy. He was an angry drunk - Schlatt knew that. He had always been extremely careful not to get waisted around Tubbo for that very reason. He knew that the little boy wouldn't be able to handle Schlatt's anger - he shouldn't have to to begin with, for gods sake! So Schlatt was careful. Hence why he set aside his drink when he did, despite everything in him telling him not to. 

God. Life fucking sucked. 

At least Phil would be there soon?


	5. Fucking pig

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Schlatt meets Techo, they fight, Schlatt has to run for his god damn life. Literally. 
> 
> TW FOR THIS CHAPTER!!!!! TW for fighting and alcohol! Please be aware while reading - I don't want anyone getting hurt because of my stories. 
> 
> Sorry about the delay in updating! I've got school stressing me out, so updates will probably come during the weekend, either Saturday or Sundays. Sometimes it'll be one chapter, sometimes 2. Who knows. I'm unpredictable like that, lmao. 
> 
> As always, thank you for the support, and enjoy the chapter!

Phil getting there did nothing to really help Schlatt's mental state, needless to say. He already felt pretty useless, but when the blonde harpy man showed up with some kind of pig hybrid by his side, Schlatt just had a feeling it wasn't going to end well. 

He was, of course, forever grateful for the food that his more less dad had brought, making sure Tubbo was thoroughly distracted when things were brought in. Of course, Schlatt was a little unsteady on his feet because of the amount of alcohol he'd been drinking. Honestly, he knew he shouldn't and knew that the moment Phil realized it, he would be getting lectured. 

At the same time though, Schlatt couldn't help but be a little more observant then normal _because_ of the alcohol. He could see Phil's wings were messy and not as pruned as normal - he probably didn't have time to take care of them - and he could see the exhaustion seeping into the other males bones. He could see the way Phil's wings seemed to gain a new life whenever he focused on the pig hybrid as well - making Schlatt wonder just who the hell this man was. 

The male in question - at least, Schlatt was pretty sure it was a male - was tall. Taller then Schlatt himself, though not by much. He had soft, bubble gum pink hair that was pulled back in a braid that went all the way down to his lower back. He wore heavy coats and furs, contrary to Phil's semi light clothing since Schlatt lived in a warmer area. His cloak almost dragged on the ground, and his pointed ears flicked with irritation every time Tubbo was a little too noisy. He had a tail under his coat that swung slowly in thought while he walked around with Phil, almost trailing behind as if he didn't know where to go. Heavy jewelry weighed on him, jingling softly when he moved, and his tusks were intimidating to say the very least. He looked more human then piglin, but that nose of his was a little more on the flat side and moved when he smelled the air. Schlatt watched this pig cringe when he caught the smell of alcohol, eyeing Schlatt immediately.

"You shouldn't drink with a kid." His voice was deeper then Schlatt expected, that was for damn sure, and it was a little weary, as if the other wasn't used to confrontation. 

"You shouldn't judge my life choices." Schlatt huffed back without much thought, running a hand through his messy hair. He watched the pig snort - probably saying something in his piglin language - before turning away and dropping the subject for now. It felt... weird. Bad. Somehow, Schlatt had a feeling he and this piggy wouldn't be getting along too well. 

Regardless of that fact, however, Schlatt decided to watch Phil and the pink haired piggy converse for a little while while he put things away. Tubbo had been more then a little interested in the strange pink man and Phil's beautiful - yet messy - wings, but Schlatt was more worried about the fact that sooner or later, he'd have to pay them back for this act of kindness. He didn't have any money - that was clear enough - and the only skills Schlatt had to offer was his knowledge in business and politics - one of which he hated more then the other. Government was overrated in his opinion. 

"I can't thank you enough for this, Phil." Schlatt sighed when the harpy man came into the kitchen again, a smile dancing on his face. 

"It's really nothing!" Phil insisted with a smile, "We had a lot of spare things anyway. Techno over there grows a lot of food for the family - much too much in my opinion. Oh! I also brought you some emeralds to hold you over for a little while for food money." Phil hummed, digging in his pocket and pulling out a little pouch. He missed the way Schlatt seemed to cringe at the idea of borrowing money. "You can pay me back with house work, if you'd like."

"Ya, that would be good." Schlatt agreed with a small sigh. "I don't have much else to offer to you anyway. I can't thank you enough for the help though, Phil, seriously."

"It's really nothing. Just make sure you take good care of your boy, alright?" 

The nod that Phil got seemed to satisfy the man, the ram watching him leave the kitchen once again. He sighed quietly, taking another drink of his alcohol he had left over in his little cup before shifting from where he stood to go and join the other 3. 

Tubbo was thoroughly distracted by the piggy - Techno? - much to Schlatt's relief, and Phil was sitting to the side with a small smile on his lips. They seemed to be enjoying Tubbo's joyous energy while he asked Techno for stories, the little ball of sunshine sitting in the pigs lap. Techno looked pretty uncomfortable at first but ended up caving in pretty quickly, talking away while Schlatt went to Phil's side. 

"So... who's he?" He asked finally after a moment. The question had been weighing on Schlatt's mind since Techno had come into the shit apartment to begin with. 

"Oh! Techno is my son - one of them anyway." Phil explained with a bright, proud smile. He didn't ever seem to look like that around Will. It was...unnerving. "He's Wilbur's twin brother, older by 2 minutes according to them."

"But...one is a pig." Schlatt didn't miss the way the said pigs ears seemed to shift towards them while he talked to Tubbo.

"Yep! I found them in a nether fortress years ago. Techno was protectin his little brother from Wither skeletons." Phil elaborated, making Schlatt nod along, as if he knew what the hell any of that meant. He had been... really out of it since Tubbo was born needless to say. He knew the world was weird after you graduated high school, he just didn't know how weird it really was. 

"But....one's still a pig."

"Half piglin, half human. Wilbur just happened to look more human."

"So...Wilbur is a pig." The information was clearly not processing in the rams head, the male rubbing his forehead lightly, only pausing when he heard a soft scoff from Techno. 

"So what if Will and I are part piglin? You're one to talk, ram boy." He said with a cocky smirk. Oh he was just _asking_ to pick a fight, wasn't he? Techno shifted a bit though, moving to lay Tubbo down on what he assumed to be his bed since the little guy had fallen asleep, before turning to Schlatt, who had furrowed brows. 

"Being a ram hybrid is one thing, but you're literally from another dimension. Is that even possible?"

"Apparently." Phil commented to the side with a small chuckle. Schlatt didn't realize until then that he had even moved away from the other male, and was standing in front of the much taller - and honestly scarier - pig. That was all he was though. A _pig_.

"Yes it's possible. Clearly." Techno stated with an eye roll. Schlatt stood there for a long moment before huffing softly. Normally, he wouldn't be so irritated with this knowledge but - as mentioned in a previous moment - Schlatt was an angry drunk, and he was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol. It only got worse, however, when Techno spoke again. "And honestly, you shouldn't be judging me in general when you yourself look like a fucking wreak and reek of whiskey."

"Excuse me?!"

"You're fucking excused, hopefully from parent hood." Techno scoffed. "No kid deserves a deadbeat of a dad like you, drinking way your sorrows and askin dad for money instead of tryin to get a real job and now workin in some shitty convince store." The pink haired male was clearly enjoying getting a reaction out of Schlatt, the rams hands in fists at his side while he stared at Techno. Deep down he knew the other was right - Tubbo didn't deserve this - but on the other hand? 

This asshole was just asking to get punched right in that ugly snout of his. 

"You have no idea what I go through for that kid!" Schlatt snapped back, making Techno snicker. 

"Oh nooo look at me!" He mocked, walking around the room, his cape sweeping the floor behind him. "A little ram without a job or home, begging people for money!"

"Techno-" Phil was getting up from where he sat now, seeing how upset Schlatt was getting. The thing was - Phil had a feeling he knew how things would go id he let them continue the way they were. "Enough."

"Why, Phil, you know I'm right!" Techno said with a snort following, the male turning to face Schlatt again. "You're a deadbeat of a dad, a useless man who can't even afford food for your child. You don't deserve to be a parent. Stinkin up your shit with the smell of alcohol-"

The next sound that escaped the pig was a squeal of pain as Schlatt full blown decked him, chipping Techno's tusk and causing his own hand to bleed. There was a beat of silence. Then another. Schlatt was breathing hard in his anger, Phil was standing to the side with his wings puffed up in anticipation and readiness to stop his son from what he knew was going to come. And Techno? He stood where he had stumbled slightly, having been taken off guard by the hit, holding his face as blood dripped between his fingers. Apparently, Schlatt hit a little harder then he thought. When Techno shifted again, his hand fell from his face, one of his tusks bleeding and a split lip from an old injury reopened making the way he looked that much more terrifying.

"I'm so dead."

"You should probably run."

"But-" 

"Don't worry about Toby. He'll be ok. Just fucking _run!_ "

Ya hearing the desperation in Phil's voice and the way Techno looked at him, Schlatt didn't wait a moment longer. He grabbed his shoes, not even pausing to put them on, and was out the door in an instant. The emeralds Phil gave him jingled in his pocket quietly as he ran as fast as his legs would push him, getting his shoes on as he went. 

Why was Schlatt such an idiot?

Why did he just have to make such a powerful enemy?

Why was he such a deadbeat of a dad? 


	6. Tubbox! Tubbo in a box!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ranboo finds a Tubbo in a box!
> 
> Sudden POV change! This chapter will be in Ranboo's/Tubbo's POV (in other words it'll focus on them instead of Schlatt) and it will continue like this for the next couple chapters. We'll loop back to Schlatt soon! 
> 
> Until then, enjoy some Ranboo, Tubbo, and Niki!
> 
> Apologies for the delayed update, as last weekend a loootttt of stuff happened in my family. I'm back to writing now though! Updates will be consistent every weekend from here on out!

Ranboo's life hadn't ever been...the best honestly. He had grown up alone in the end, already an outcast because of being a hybrid with something from the nether. His black and white halves felt like 2 separate consciousness completely and argued with him about what he could and couldn't remember all the time. Maybe they were there - maybe the end had just drove the poor kid nuts. He honestly didn't know.

Ranboo struggled horribly with his memory - unable to remember anything small in his life, like who was a good and bad person and who he could trust. He couldn't remember where he'd come from or who his parents were. He couldn't remember if he grew up in the end or used to live somewhere else - but he did remember that he needed to survive - somehow. 

So he had. 

He had survived until a girl found him in the forest, shivering next to the plants she just so happened to need to collect. 

Living in civilization was just as hard as living in the forest without knowing why, honestly. Of course, Ranboo was forever grateful for his adopted sister Niki - she had taught him to speak english instead of enderman and taught him how to live - even going as far as helping Ranboo figure out what kind of clothes he liked and letting him live with her in the bakery! But it was still extremely hard. It was a lot warmer in houses compared to the forest - or wherever he had grown up - but he still felt cold most of the time. Niki said it was because he was half of something in the nether and had a high heat resistance. Ranboo supposed that made sense. On top of the constant chill, however, Ranboo had learned that most people weren't fond of beings that weren't at least part human. He was home schooled because of that fact. 

A soft sigh escaped the enderman today, however, as he adjusted his crown on his head. There had been a downpour 2 days before and the woods he wandered through was still soaking wet. That was another thing Ranboo didn't like - the water. It burned him _bad_ resulting in the need to wear armor when swimming and some kind of head covering when it was raining. It was...inconvenient to say the least. But, Ranboo needed to get his thoughts out there in the open, so as he walked he talked to himself. 

"Where did I put my journal?" He mumbled to himself, pausing for a moment to accuse his inventory - something most couldn't do until adult hood. Hell, it was something almost no one knew how to do anyway, but Ranboo was pretty special. He had always known how to accuse his inventory and had taught others how to as well. Now, where he lived, almost everyone knew how to. It was pretty useful needless to say. 

As Ranboo shuffled through his inventory, however, he heard something. It...didn't sound like a monster, but it didn't sound like any human he had met either and it...confused him. His hand hovered over the journal he had been about to take out of his inventory, his pointed ears flicking a bit to try and catch the noise again. It took a moment, but he heard it - a sniffle. 

A drop of water hit Ranboo's ear, making him flinch a bit and close his inventory as he came back into reality, looking around almost frantically for the source of the sniffling he heard. His ears were keen though - honestly it could be coming from anywhere in a 3 mile radius! But Ranboo needed to pin point _before_ it got dark. Before the monsters and mobs started to span and try to kill whatever was making that sound. It was a living thing...right?

From what he could tell, the sound was coming from something small. The place that Ranboo lived in - Niki called it L'manberg? - didn't really have any small humans or hybrids. The youngest there was probably Fundy, and he was 12 already, and the presidents son. Ranboo had never seen a true child before, which was part of why he was so confused when he finally managed to pinpoint the sound, coming from a small box in the middle of the woods. 

It took hours of wondering before Ranboo had finally found it - the drenched and slightly torn box apparently housing what was making the soft sniffles. He had approached slowly, taking off all his armor and storing it, leaving on a simple hat in case the trees decided to rain like they sometimes did (it always confused Ranboo why they rained like that), looking at the box as if it housed a feral animal. For all he knew it did. He wanted to seem as unthreatening as possible for that reason. 

A few steps forward, and Ranboo noticed footprints almost completely washed away in the mud - those of a larger person who was probably drunk. The steps looked frantic and uneven, a hand print here and there like they had kept tripping. Almost as if they had run away from what was in the box before they could change their mind. That just made Ranboo even more worried, honestly. 

Turning his attention away from the prints though, the enderman hybrid instead focused on the box once again, getting close enough he could use how tall he was to try and see what was inside. The first thing Ranboo saw was yellow. It took a moment to remember what Niki called the animal he was seeing - a bee. It looked like a stuffed toy that was completely soaked, but probably new. The next thing Ranboo noticed was a blanket covering a lump in the box that was shaking as the thing under it cried - at least Ranboo thought it was crying. He honestly couldn't tell though because he wasn't used the the sounds. There was no screaming or yelling like when Fundy cried - just quiet sniffles. 

Slowly taking steps forward, Ranboo tried to get a better view of what he was seeing. His tail flicked behind him nervously and he rung his hands a bit, watching for a moment like something was going to pop out at any second. When Ranboo finally convinced himself it was safe, he walked closer to the box and tilted his head a little. There was a letter left in the box, protected by a plastic bag from the looks of it. He was about to reach out and grab it when the blanket fell, causing Ranboo to quickly pull his arm back and take a second to register what he was seeing. 

There was a child sitting there with the fluffiest ears Ranboo had ever seen drooping low, weighed down with water. He could see the tears falling down his eyes and the way the small child shivered, clearly not completely human, but not anything Ranboo had ever seen before either. Honestly, the closest person he had seen to looking like this child was probably Puffy. Was he hers? Ranboo kinda hesitated, trying to rack his brain of what to do to calm this kid down when the child yelped and quickly scrambled backwards in a panic. 

"H-hey, its ok!!" Ranboo tried to quickly reassure, hands up in surrender. "I'm not going to hurt you..."

"I want my dad!" The young child cried out, sobbing halfway through his sentence. His distress made Ranboo distressed and a little frantic to figure out what to do. God, what was he supposed to do???? What would Niki do???

Taking a deep breath, Ranboo took a moment to assess the situation. The kid couldn't have been older then 2 or 3 - he was small, probably hungry, and soaked. He had been alone out in the woods long enough for the box he was in to be soaking wet and torn. The footprints that were here were a few days old, meaning he was probably left during the storm. Ranboo could hear mobs nearby and saw the child looking around frantically, meaning he could hear them too. His ears were probably sensitive. This kid was scared, he was in a Tupperware packaging box, and had been left by his dad by the looks of things. Plus, there was a letter in the box in a zip lock baggy. Ok... Ranboo could work with this. It was almost dark, however, so he had to work fast. 

"Hey.." He spoke again, softer this time, after taking a breath to calm himself. "My name is Ranboo.. may I ask yours?"

"T-Tubbo...." 

"Alright, Tubbo, I know your probably scared. I can be scary to look at, right?" The young child nodded and Ranboo smiled small. "Cause I'm all tall and lanky and multicolored, right?" Another nod made Ranboo chuckle softly. "Well you scared me too, ya know that?" He wasn't expecting those big brown eyes to look at him with so much knowledge for such a young child. He saw a small frown tug at the childs lips and quickly waved his hands. "Its ok! I'm a big scaredy cat anyway," He reassured. Ranboo looked around, taking in how dark it was getting and frowning a little. 

"It scary after dark..." Tubbo whispered and Ranboo nodded a little in agreement, turning to look at the child after a second. Tubbo was looking around the forest as well, his arms around the bee plushy that Ranboo had noticed earlier. It didn't seem to matter that it was soaking wet. 

"It is... say, Tubbo," Ranboo hummed softly, getting his attention gently. "Would you like to come home with me? I know I'm all scary, but my big sister would be able to warm you up. She has hot coco and warm food, and a safe place to sleep, away from all the scary monsters." He waited patiently for an answer, but after a moment, tubbo slowly nodded. 

Ranboo smiled a little and after asking if it was ok, gently picked Tubbo up from his box, grabbing the plushy and letter as well. A quick check to make sure nothing else important was left behind, and Ranboo started walking. He ignored the way the water burned him, just knowing that this child was more important and worth every injury he was getting. It would be ok. 

Tubbo fell asleep while he was walking, and Ranboo smiled softly at this small boy. It would be ok. 

He'd have to ask Puffy if Tubbo was hers in the morning. 


	7. A fleeting dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot begin to thank you all enough for all the continued support while I've been writing these chapters. Thank you so so much, it means the world to me. 
> 
> On another note - we'll be switching back to Schlatt for a little bit after the next chapter! Be prepared for that rabbit hole of emotions. 
> 
> Updates come every weekend, so keep a look out, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

By the time Ranboo got back to his and Niki's house, it was pitch black outside and his arms burned like crazy. Hell, his chest did too - and literally any part of his body that water had dripped onto. It was worse on his black side, but Ranboo tried his best to ignore it. 

The trip back to the bakery had been pretty uneventful honestly. He had run into a few people on the way there, his tail flicking nervously as he tried to avoid conversations with them, but in the end, Ranboo had made it back alright. Tubbo had long since fallen asleep in his arms and Ranboo had a feeling that he really needed it. 

Ducking to avoid hitting his head, Ranboo went inside the bakery, smiling a little at the familiar face at the counter. Forever and always grateful to Niki, the girl noticed the injuries on Ranboo immediately. 

"Oh my gosh, are you ok??" She asked, rushing around the counter to where Ranboo stood in the middle of the room. Niki couldn't stop the soft gasp that escaped at the sight of the little one in Ranboo's arms though. She never would've expected for Ranboo of all people to carry someone so young so far despite the pain it caused. Normally, he was so reserved - doing this had to have taken a lot of courage. That being said, the girl couldn't help the endless questions that formed in her mind as she looked at the little one still being held by her enderman brother - OH!!! Ranboo was still holding him!!!

Niki was quick to reach out, Ranboo passing the little one to her easily. "His name is Tubbo, I think." Ranboo said as he stood aside. "He was in a box."

"A box?" 

"Mhm" The enderman nodded a little as he walked to the side to grab the first aid kit. "I was gonna go see if he was Puffy's in the morning - his ears are fluffy like hers. I don't think she would leave a little person there though, so maybe he got lost?" Ranboo shrugged and got to work wrapping his arms up while Niki went to dry Tubbo off gently, struggling a bit since he was dead asleep. "Oh! And this was in the box with him!" Ranboo quickly drew the plastic bag with paper in it he had grabbed out of his pocket, holding it up to Niki so she could see. "I haven't opened it."

"Lemme see..." The older girl took that little baggy, humming softly as she walked to the other side of the bakery counter, laying Tubbo down on the hidden futon under the main desk. Why was it there? Because people tended to come and bother Niki in the middle of the night. She wouldn't let anyone into her main house (other then Ranboo) so they had to sleep under the main counter on a futon. Most of the time it was Wilbur under there. Ya. The person who ran L'manberg slept under a counter in a bakery most of the time. 

Ranboo had been scared half to death more then once by almost tripping over the guy. 

Regardless of that, however, Niki moved to the side a bit to open the plastic bag over the sink so none of the water fell onto the ground. Then she pulled the letter out and unfolded it with gentle hands, glancing at Ranboo with a curious look. There were several pieces of paper in her hands now, all folded with the utmost care. The look on Ranboo's face made it clear he wanted to know what was up as well. 

"Want me to read it out loud?"

"Yes please."

Niki nodded and sat at one of the tables, motioning for Ranboo to do the same. The tall male had wrapped up his arm and slouched a bit in his seat, unable to sit completely comfortably because of his height. Niki took a deep breath, however, and started to read. 

"Dear whoever finds this-" She started off the letter, shifting in her seat a bit before continuing. "I don't know who you are and I don't know if you're a good person or not, but for the sake of my boy, I hope you are. For a little context, I'm a single dad without any work or home anymore. I barely have enough money in my pocket to put food in our stomachs, let alone provide for Tubbo like he needs. That being said, if you're reading this, I'm hoping you would take on that responsibility instead." 

"Tubbo is 4 years old - his birthday is December 23rd - and he's been through a lot despite his age. We've had to house hop his entire life - and to say I'm a deadbeat of a dad would be an understatement. Tubbo is a good kid though with a bright heart and personality. He loves bees and spaghetti, and story times have always been something he adores. Tubbo has a bright future ahead of him, even if I can't give him that. I want him to at least have a chance at a happy life instead of getting stuck with me." 

"Leaving my little ball of sunshine alone is by far the hardest thing I will ever have to do, but I know that I can't go back. I want him to have a happy life, one that I can't provide, and putting him through the system would just give him more hell to deal with when he's older. I want Tubbo to be happy, and I know there are good people in the area."

"I'm so sorry for putting this burden on whoever you are, but I only ask that you not turn him away. If you do, find someone who will take him - please just don't leave him alone like I already have."

"As much as it pains me to admit, Tubbo shouldn't find out who I am, until he's much older. For that reason, I ask that you not tell him my name until he's at least 14 years old - I know what the feeling of being abandoned is like and Tubbo shouldn't have to feel that. Not unless there's no other choice."

"I beg of you, as a failing father, that you take care of my little bee until hes grown and able to experience the world like I never could. Please."

"Signed, yours truely, Jonathan Schlatt (Jschlatt) - a desperate dad."

Niki finished reading that last sentence with shaking hands, tears in her eyes. Honestly, she couldn't figure out what emotion she was feeling - anger for the father doing something so selfish, grief for the child she was _definitely_ adopting, or maybe fear for the future of this child. Tubbo didn't deserve this - but no one could choose their parents. All Niki could do was sit there for a long moment before looking up at Ranboo who offered a half smile. 

"We have a new little brother then." The enderman didn't question it. He knew from the look in Niki's eyes that she wouldn't let Tubbo go alone in the world like this. No, she couldn't. 

The girl nodded solemnly and set the letters down on the table quietly, letting out a soft breath. "We'll still talk to Puffy in the morning," She decided after a moment. "I've never had to deal with a hybrid that looks so much like her and since it wasn't listed in the letter, we should find out if hes a sheep or something else." Ranboo nodded in agreement at that.

"Until then, go to sleep," he said with a chuckle towards Niki. "Don't worry - Tubbo will be ok. We should rest up if we're gonna be busy tomorrow." He smiled when Niki nodded in agreement and got up. 

After a brief exchange of goodnights and deciding where Tubbo would sleep (he was staying with Ranboo since he would know the enderman when he woke up), the two went to bed in preparation of the next days events.

Life just got a little more interesting. 


End file.
